Gates of Hell
by Sasukegang
Summary: The outcome of Naruto and Sasuke's battle was they both died. For Sasuke to avoid going to hell, he needs to make up for all of his evil deeds by making it up to a pink-haired kunoichi. Moderate language and gore, but nothing too vulgar.
1. Chapter 1

**Gates of Hell**

**Chapter 1: Rest in Pieces**

"Naruto!"

"Sasuke!"

Ragged from fighting for a while, I figured this was the last attack he had in him. Honestly, I was at the end of my chain too. We all knew it would come to this; my chidori clashed with Naruto's rasengan. He had said it before, if we fought, we would both die. It all came down to this. Scowling, I urged the lightning further, attempting to alter the outcome. My opponent furrowed his brows, seething as he strained to exert more force. We held our position for a good few seconds before a sickening crack sounded.

I lost all control of my chidori. Lightning bent and engulfed the two of us, sending rippling shocks down my spine. My hand burnt from the clash of two powerful shinobi, tearing at the wrist and beginning to fall off. Everything began blurring and I could no longer hear my surroundings. I saw an orange figure, which I assumed was Naruto, slip away from me. In a split second, his rasengan broke and waves of chakra lashed in all directions. As I felt myself lose consciousness, I dully felt the chakra tearing at my flesh.

The last thing I saw was a giant chunk of my hair, still attached to a piece of my scalp fly away like a bird.

Bye bird.

xXx

All I could see was white everything. To my left, there was nothing but white. To my right, there was some white and a little nothing. In front of me, there was more nothing. Oh wait! There was something else there... No, that was just white. Where the hell was I?

"Teme..."

I look to where the voice was coming from, finding Naruto. At least, what was left of Naruto. A gaping hole was in place of where his chest was supposed to be; his face was skinless, seeming to have lost its mask; one of his eyes was stuck in the back of his head, never to look forward again. If that was Naruto, what did _I_ look like?

Noticing the white environment beginning to dim, I realized that something must've been happening. We must've been going somewhere else.

"Hey dobe."

When the surroundings cleared, Naruto and I stood in front of a giant receptionist desk. The man sitting behind the desk looked bored. Taking one dull glance at us, he started flipping through a large book, muttering slightly to himself.

"Let's see... Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke." One of his thin fingers pointed to an open page. "Ninja battle, yadda yadda yadda, both died." With that, he slammed the book shut. Picking at his nails, he grimaced. I waited for him to continue, but that time didn't come.

"Well? What now?" I impatiently spat.

"Wow." The man raised an eyebrow. "Someone's eager to go to hell."

My mouth gaped. Hell? Sure, I expected it somewhere down the road, but not this soon.

"Hell? That's not right!" I whipped my head to the loud-mouthed blond, continuing to ramble. "Sasuke doesn't deserve that, despite what a teme he is!"

The man sent an exhausted glance towards him, not even phased by his physical appearance. "Now, now, don't get worked up. You're not going there too or anything."

Naruto furiously shook his head. "That's not the point! Sasuke's my friend and I won't leave my friends behind. If you want to put someone in hell," he took a deep breath, "then put me in hell in his place."

What a dobe. If it were the other way around, I wouldn't have saved him. What was he thinking?

"That's not the way things work around here, kid." The guy pointed to the two signs on the wall behind him. One pointed up and read "heaven", while the other pointed downwards and read "hell". "You are assigned to go to one of these places because of what you've done in your life. You can't just _decide_ where you'll go."

I shot him a glare and headed in the direction where the up arrow pointed. "Wait!" he called after me, but to no avail. Running as quickly as I could, I sprinted through a wide opening. My momentum carried me across the chasm to the opposite wall, where I clung with what appeared to be one hand and one stump of what was left of an arm. Though I didn't want to, I looked down. Below me was a dark, bottomless pit where an unpleasant heat was coming from. I couldn't go that way. I started ascending to what seemed like a bright and wonderful place.

Trying in vain to attach to the wall with my chakra, I realized that, in this place, the ways of the ninja weren't relevant. My fingernails dug into the wall as pieces started to crumble under my weight. I kept moving, afraid that if I didn't, I would fall along with the pieces of wall. Making my way carefully, I kept climbing.

After some time, my arm started shaking, about to give up. If only I had a hand on my other arm. Snarling, I forced myself further.

"Are you okay, lad?"

Surprised, I whipped my head to the voice. With what was left of my energy, I hoisted myself up, off the wall, and onto the platform in front of a desk where an old man sat. He smiled and clapped his hands pleasurably. "That was some climb. Maybe next time you should just use the stairs." He gestured to a winding staircase on the wall opposite of where I was climbing.

"Hn."

Another warm smile was given to me. "Alright I get it. No one want to talk to St. Peter. Just give me your paperwork and I'll send you on your way above."

Paperwork? Fuck. I pretended to be looking for something in my pockets, fumbling around slightly. He continued to watch me with grey eyes that seemed to read my every move. Will he call my bluff? "Gomen, doesn't look like I have it."

"That's okay. I'll just send you back to the receptionist." He winked a crinkled wink.

"No! Wait!" I came so far, only to reappear next to Naruto at the front of the receptionist desk.

"Hey. Welcome back." The guy smirked. I shot him a death glare, not affecting him whatsoever. "As I was saying, you can't decide where you go. You go where you deserve to go. Now, are you guys ready to move on?"

The dobe thought for a second, crossed his arms, then nodded in thought. It took a few seconds, but he jolted slightly. An idea just struck him. "What if you give teme a second chance to make things right? That way he can fix all he's done wrong and go to heaven!" Naruto looked hopefully towards the man with his one good eye gleaming and his skinless face in a crooked smile.

Honestly, I was hopeful too.

The man looked at Naruto with distaste, looked at me with a frown, and looked back at Naruto and narrowed his eyes. "Fine! But in order to send him back, I need another soul." He smiled wickedly at Naruto. "Would you be willing to provide that?"

The loud-mouthed ninja gave him a toothy grin and a thumbs-up. The man heaved a sigh and took out a sheet of paper. Muttering something about incompetence and damn, nagging dead people, he picked up a pen and scribbled quickly on the sheet. Setting the pen back down, he lifted the paper and flipped it to face Naruto. Naruto blinked once in confusion and in that fraction of a second, a massive flash emitted from the page. It disappeared as quickly as it came and the man rolled the sheet up, tying it with a thick string.

I opened my mouth to say something, but found I couldn't find the words. Naruto dropped headfirst to the ground and landed with a sickening thump. The man got up and made his way around the gratuitously large desk. A click of disapproval sounded from his mouth as he gently pushed the blond's face to the side with his foot.

"Stop it!" I hoarsely rasped. Finally finding my voice, I needed to defend the boy that defended me.

"Calm down, kid." The guy looked at me with an annoyed look. "This is just his shell. Your real friend is here." He held up the rolled page.

I looked down. "He's not my friend," I whispered softly.

"Well, he sacrificed himself for you," he muttered. With a slight grunt of effort, he kicked the body off the platform and into the open chasm. Watching in horror, my eyes locked on the form falling into an endless pit of horror and despair. "Need to feed the dogs of hell something, otherwise my ass is on the line." He took his time strolling back to his chair behind the desk.

Out of curiosity, I peered over the ledge, looking down at the dark hole. Two wolf-like beasts fought over a mangled, orange-clad arm, before one won the tug-o-war and ran off with it. Down, down into the pit they ran.

Still letting my gaze linger on the empty chasm, I forced myself to walk back in front of the receptionist. "Alright," the man started, "you basically have to atone for the things you've done in the past. Let's read the list, shall we?" I cringed, not wanting to relive my life. "You left Konoha as a rogue ninja, killed thousands of innocent people, murdered important figures Orochimaru, Itachi, and Danzo, betrayed your teammates, and attacked Konoha." He raised an eyebrow. "Did I name it all?"

Nodding, I murmured quietly, "Yeah. That should be it."

"Okay. Well, we will overlook the deaths of Orochimaru and Danzo, because we don't like them much. Damn bastards make such a ruckus over nothing. We'll also overlook, Itachi's, since you killing him was all a part of his plan. Regarding the killings of thousands and your own teammates... well there's not much that can be done about that. In order for you to atone for sins, you need to deal with the living, not the dead. So, that just leaves Konoha. I will assign you to the Konoha ninja that you've hurt the most. You must fulfill everything he or she wishes for to the best of your power. Once you're told that you have fulfilled your duties, then you may come back. If you come back without finishing your business," an evil gleam shone in his eyes, "I will gladly feed you to the dogs."

If this fucker thought he would intimidate me, he was dead wrong. I glared at him as he leaned back in his chair and spun around, facing his back to me. He tossed the rolled up paper back to me, which I caught with confusion. "Have fun on the other side, 'teme'." Bastard thought he was so damn funny. Restraining the urge to punch him, I stood there for another second before I was surrounded by white again.

xXx

I rematerialized at a river bank. Trees bristled in the wind as the clouds soared high above the world. In disbelief, I bent down to touch the grass, but didn't feel a thing. Wait a minute, my hand was back! I turned to the river and gazed at the rippling image looking back at me. Flawless pale skin, black, spiked hair, sharp onyx eyes... it was all there. I looked just as I had before the final battle with Naruto, presumably so I wouldn't scare the person I needed to help.

The sun shone, but, much to my dismay, I couldn't feel its warmth on my skin.

A soft voice broke me out of my thoughts. Slowly, I made my way to the source, but froze as soon as I saw the two figures appear before me. Instinctively, I crouched, not entirely sure if they would be able to see me anyway. "I have the report from the battle," a masked ANBU member stated monotonously.

"And?" questioned a feminine voice that came from behind a tree.

"Both Naruto and Sasuke died in battle. No chance of revival."

The female was silent for a moment and most likely gestured to the other that he was dismissed for he disappeared without another word. "Naruto... Sasuke-kun..."

That voice... Why was it so familiar? I moved to get a better angle on this mysterious person, hopefully to figure out who it was.

The receptionist said I would be helping the person I had hurt the most. A kunoichi that I had hurt? I stopped dead in my tracks when she came into view. Oh no...

A full head of pink hair came into my view.

Fuck.

**A/N: Haven't written any SasuSaku for about three years... and it feels so good to be back! This story was inspired by a book I read six years ago, yes I am reliving my past, and I hope you enjoy it! And no, I'm not religious. But it's cute, eh?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Gates of Hell**

**Last time:**

_The receptionist said I would be helping the person I had hurt the most. A kunoichi that I had hurt? I stopped dead in my tracks when she came into view. Oh no..._

_A full head of pink hair came into my view._

_Fuck._

**Chapter 2: She Will Be the Death of Me**

I stared in disbelief at the kunoichi, not moving from my position. I knew I had to do what she asked, but I feared what that might be. If I told her my desperate situation, I was sure she would give me hell. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped.

Watching her intently for a few more seconds, I garnered the courage to approach her. Her shoulders heaved in a sobbing motion, deterring me slightly. She was crying. Maybe if I played my cards right, she'd want me to comfort her. I would speak softly, catching her attention. Turning, she would spot me, taking me in with awe-filled eyes. I would open my arms, welcoming her as she enveloped herself in them. As I would whisper soft comforts in her ear, she would start to remember the reasons why she had liked me, whatever those might have been. Then, I would continue to painlessly complete my mission. Good plan.

Now that I knew my course of action, I snuck up behind her as stealthily as I could. Leaning over her shuddering form, I whispered huskily, "Sakura..."

Nearly instantaneously, she punched me in the face.

I flinched, but found it didn't hurt. In fact, I didn't feel it at all. Thankfully, her fist passed straight through my head, stopping when my eyes were enveloping where her elbow was. If I wasn't already dead, that would've killed me. Shocked, she pulled her arm back. Hesitantly, she kicked across my chest, only to find me standing there unscathed.

Holding back a cheeky smirk, I explained, "You can't kill me, Sakura. I'm immortal." I felt so magnificent uttering those words. Maybe she would start hailing me like a god. I let my mind linger on that thought for a little while longer.

Instead, the hot-blooded girl locked her tearstained green eyes on me, burning with anger. Pink flushed across her cheeks as she growled in frustration. Suddenly, she lashed out. I instinctively dodged, only to be attacked from another side. Knowing that she couldn't actually touch me, I decided to humor her and dodged her attacks, throwing a few punches myself. She yelled, putting all of her power into each of her attacks. It was getting increasingly difficult to avoid her persistent assault, but I continued avoiding the blur of fists and legs.

Without warning, I saw a foot go through my line of vision and hold there. I wasn't able to avoid her? How was that possible? Panting, she stood there, holding her foot in my face. The air felt calmer as her fury bubbled down to a dull simmer. Finally dropping her foot, she turned and started walking away.

"Sakura, wait," I called out, effectively stopping her.

"Why should I?" she whispered, barely audible to a soul. She whipped around, sending me a hard glare. Raising her voice, she shrieked, "Why should I wait to listen to a damn thing you have to say?"

"I can't leave you alone if you don't listen."

Silently, she looked away. I took this as my cue to elaborate. "I was supposed to go to hell, no big surprise there, but I got a second chance to rectify things. Mostly, I have to rectify things with you." Pausing, I analyzed her facial expression, eyes meeting with a vacant stare. "You just have to tell me your deepest wishes - try not to have too many of them - and I will fulfill them."

"And what if I don't?" she spat.

Shocked, I gaped at her. How could she be seriously contemplating not helping me? "Well," I pondered, ruffling my hair in anxiety, "I will go to hell." When I didn't see a look of concern on her face, I simply stated, "Then the whole ordeal of using Naruto's soul to get me here would've gone to waste."

That caused her to snap to attention. "He..." She thought deeply. "He sacrificed himself for you?" Her voice hitched slightly with the last word. She let that information sink in for a second before continuing, "What did you do to him to make him give up his soul?"

"Nothing," I protested. "He _chose_ to give the receptionist..."

"Receptionist?" Sakura questioned.

"Yes, he gave the _receptionist_ at purgatory his soul to give me a second chance at saving my own."

With resolution, she nodded her head. "Fine. I'll help you." Trying my hardest to suppress it, I felt a smirk crawl onto my face. "But, don't think that means I'll make it easy on you, Uchiha." Her lips scowled, reminding me that she was serious, but I couldn't help but let a small smirk adorn my face. She spun around and motioned for me to follow.

Together, we jumped into the treetops, leaping from branch to branch. She led, while I took up the rear. Her pink hair fluttered wildly back at me, probably sending wafts of sweet scents to my nose that my phantom form couldn't be able to pick up. I wondered if she was wearing a fruit scent. If I had to guess, I would've said she was wearing cherry, or maybe strawberry would've been better.

What was I thinking? I shook my attention away from the bright hair, letting my gaze drift. A flapping sound caught my scrutiny. Her rosy skirt flapped in the wind, as if her leggings underneath were playing a game with me.

Peek-a-boo! I see you!

Goddamn, I needed a distraction. "So, where are we headed?" I spoke up, trying desperately to divert my attention.

For a moment, she didn't say a word. "We're," she began in a mild voice, "going to visit a friend that I think you need to talk to."

I was going to talk to someone? I knew that Sakura could hear me, because she was the person I was supposed to help, but I wasn't sure if others could hear me or not. If not, that would defeat the whole purpose of talking to this person and Sakura would look like a madwoman. I couldn't help someone who'd be locked up in a mental institution. I voiced my concern to her.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." She continued to look intently on where she was going.

All I could do was trust her. We fell into silence again, dissatisfying me. I needed her to continue talking, keeping my mind preoccupied. It used to be that I couldn't get her to shut up, but now I couldn't get her to talk. "So, what is your first item on your wish list?"

"I told you, you're going to talk to someone important," she stated slightly annoyed. "I wish for you to talk to him from the bottom of your heart."

I was slightly put off by that. "What if I don't want to?" I pouted.

Turning her head to glare at me, she seethed, "You _will_. Listen, I'm helping you help me. You should be grateful, but instead you're arrogant, intolerant, and tyrannical." Getting that off her chest, her tone softened. "I'm only doing this because Naruto forgave you and gave you a second chance. I might as well continue on _his_ will."

It was true. I really should've been grateful towards her, but a part of me refused to. Maybe that was my "arrogant, intolerant, and tyrannical" side. I inwardly chucked at the thought.

I snapped back to attention when I noticed the trees started thinning out. We were moving to a familiar location, yet I hadn't noticed until now. Why was she leading me here?

Emerging from the thick woods, we stood on the edge of a vast site of demolition and devastation. Hopping down from our high boughs, we cautiously walked through what was left of the landscape, getting a better look. I didn't get a good chance to look at the damage caused by the battle until now. The grey tree stumps bent backwards, toward the forest, trying to run from the surge of power that had destroyed a good portion of their trunks. Some of the dead stems had kunai lodged in them, others had rips and tears littering their length. In the clearance, where no trees survived, huge holes dipped in the ground and on various boulders. One ditch was particularly large. Spirals carved out the bottom while jagged lines randomly scattered across the entire structure. On one end of the ditch, a chalked figure was drawn. On the other, a different chalked figure was drawn, this one without a hand.

ANBU members must have already taken Naruto and my bodies and dissected them.

Sakura strolled daintily to the edge of the ditch where Naruto's chalked outline lay. Swinging her feet over the edge, she sat on the ledge, looking down at the figure by her feet. While continuing to stare at the outline, she patted the ground next to her, signaling for me to sit by her. I did as I was told, not wanting to put up a fight. I gently sat next to her, possibly not wanting disturb the sanctity of this spot, or maybe not wanting to disrupt the gaze of the small kunoichi.

I pulled my stare to her face, watching as new thoughts entered and exited her mind, showing through the sparkle in her green orbs. One second there was a look of despair, no doubt thinking of Naruto's death, the next there was a touch of happiness, most likely thinking of what she would have me do. She opened her mouth to speak.

"You were such a good person; you were hyper, distracting, and dense, yet the most loyal, kind, and loving person I knew." I looked in confusion for a second, before realizing she wasn't talking to me. She was talking to Naruto. Continuing to listen to her, I dropped my head in guilt. "Everyone in the village with miss you and your endless enthusiasm, including me." Her voice fell to a hush. "I will miss you too." Pausing a moment to regain her composure, she gestured to me. "I brought someone here with me. He may not attend your funeral, but he's here now with something important he wants to say."

Her elbow nudged me, which, knowing her, probably would've hurt if I could've felt it. "Hey Naruto," I began. "You were an excellent shinobi and it was an honor fighting you." My brain scrambled to find something acceptable to say to a dead person. "You were well-loved and will be missed very..."

"What the hell are you doing?" Sakura intervened.

Scowling, I shot back, "What do you mean?"

"You're just blowing a lot of bull shit into the air. How about you actually talk to Naruto?"

Talk to Naruto? Was she nuts? Sighing, I glared at the outline carved on the stone wall of the ditch. His blond hair was a mess and his face was ragged from excessive training, but I still saw the loudmouthed ninja grinning goofily up at me. A smirk played on my lips as he chuckled up at me. "Hey dobe. I believe, although your soul and body are gone, we will see each other again." My smirk grew slightly. "Next time we fight, don't even think about getting in my way. I swear that I'll beat you." Glancing over to Sakura, I could see her shaking her head slightly. "Oh and thanks for the soul. I won't screw up my last chance."

Finished, I nodded down at his outline and leaned back, collapsing on the rugged terrain surrounding the hole. Tucking my arms under my head, I stared up at the clear, blue sky. I could hear trees in the distance shaking from a slight wind. For a second, I almost felt as though I could feel the same wind that was shaking them.

Pink hair blocked out the blue sky as Sakura leaned over me, smiling at me for the first time in years. "Although it's not the best gratitude speech I've heard," she teased, "it's the best I've ever heard you say... Sasuke-kun..."

My heart swelled with pride when she added that little courtesy "kun" to the end of my name. So, I was back on her good side... for now.

"Well," she sighed as she heaved herself up onto her feet, "we should probably get going." I looked at her in confusion, so she explained. "We're on the border of the County of Fire. It will take a while to get all the way back to Konoha and we're going to be trapped in darkness in a few hours, so we need to get moving."

"Hn." I nodded in understanding. Getting on my feet and turning, I sped next to Sakura and we sprinted in the direction of the village. Our motions were swift and fluid as we raced across long grass. In the past several hours of being dead, I had never felt more alive.

xXx

"It doesn't count and you know it!"

"Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun."

We've been having this argument ever since we came back to the village, and she refused to give in. She opened the door to her apartment and we stepped inside. There wasn't much to see, other than a desk with neat piles of paper organized on its surface, a large cabinet, a dresser, a mirror, a bed, and a sliding glass door that led to a balcony. She sighed heavily and took her gloves off and threw them on top of the desk, scattering a few papers.

"I was brought here to satisfy _your_ wishes, not regain old bonds with someone who's already dead!" Kicking off her shoes, she walked to her dresser. "Just think of something you've always dreamed about your whole life and I'll make it happen," I puffed. Fuming, I tried to boot off my shoes, but found they were firmly attached to my body. Spirits can't run around with bare feet? Bummer.

"Fine. Fine," she dismissed me and my ranting. Carefully untying her headband, she took it off and placed it on her dresser. She took off her weapon pouch and set it down next to the red headband. Exhaling, she ruffled her hair, forming giant knots that would be difficult to get out in the morning. "But now, it's time for bed."

I hadn't even noticed. Staring out the glass doors, I saw a village cloaked in darkness. A few surrounding buildings could be seen, but nothing more. It was pitch black as if the stars and the moon had burnt out and failed to shine any more. Escaping my thoughts, I looked to Sakura, but caught her starting to take her shirt off. Entranced, I stared as the red fabric slid up her lower back. Realizing I was gawking at her, I whipped my head away, blushing fervently. I continued to stare out the glass door until I heard soft footsteps walking closer to me.

Turning, I found Sakura in a large T-shirt that draped over her body and, comparatively, small, black shorts. She let out a yawn and slid into bed. Pulling the covers over her, she allowed her head to hit the pillow and closed both of her eyes. I watched her, wondering what I was supposed to do. Her eyes flickered open and gazed at me with tired, blurry vision. Softly, she whispered, "You can come join me if you want."

Hesitantly, I made my way over to the bed, laying myself down on top of the blankets. My translucent head lay on a few strands of her hair that still shone in the darkness. She fluttered her eyes shut and started to ease her breathing. Not sure of what else to do, I watched her with a penetrating gaze. Her eyes clenched in uneasiness at the sheer intent of my stare, but she relaxed as she grew accustomed to it. Her breathing slowed to a dull, vacant sound as her chest rose and fell with each quiet breath. She looked content as she fell deeper and deeper into sleep.

I turned my gaze to the ceiling, beginning to grow bored of the silent night. It wasn't even half an hour into the night and I was already wondering how I would keep myself entertained.

It was going to be a long night.

**A/N: Hey guys. Finally got the second chapter up and I'm about ready to call it a night (this is what I get for procrastinating on this story). But hey, hope you like it and please review! This and next chapter are sort of filler, until things dramatically change. At least there is some development of a plot. ^-^ Danke schoen alle!**


	3. Chapter 3

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT (FOR ANIME ONLY) AND MODERATE JAPANESE

**Gates of Hell**

**Last time:**

_Hesitantly, I made my way over to the bed, laying myself down on top of the blankets. My translucent head lay on a few strands of her hair that still shone in the darkness. She fluttered her eyes shut and started to ease her breathing. Not sure of what else to do, I watched her with a penetrating gaze. Her eyes clenched in uneasiness at the sheer intent of my stare, but she relaxed as she grew accustomed to it. Her breathing slowed to a dull, vacant sound as her chest rose and fell with each quiet breath. She looked content as she fell deeper and deeper into sleep. _

_I turned my gaze to the ceiling, beginning to grow bored of the silent night. It wasn't even half an hour into the night and I was already wondering how I would keep myself entertained._

_It was going to be a long night._

**Chapter 3: Run and Never Come Back**

Pacing frantically back and forth, I glared at Sakura. How _dare_ she not be awake to entertain me? Even on the squeaky-looking boards, I trod lightly. Not a sound was made that could've woken the sleeping girl. I had already looked around her room at anything of interest, including glancing at her from time to time. She would take in a breath every eight seconds. First, her chest would heave up, followed by her stomach and then her shoulders. I had memorized her every motion, using it as a way of telling time. Every seven and a half breaths was a minute. Every four hundred fifty breaths was an hour.

She moved her arm slightly, calling my attention to her. I knelt down by her bedside, leaning toward her head. "Sakura," I whispered. There was no response to my voice. "Sakura," I tried again. Still, she didn't even flinch.

I stood up from my position, leaning over her petite figure. Slowly, I lowered myself down next to her onto the bed. She sighed lightly as I set my head gently onto her pillow beside her own. Unintentionally, I wrapped my arm around her waist, only to have it sickly fall through her middle. Although unsure what I was expecting would happen, I frowned in displeasure. "Sakura?" I pleaded one last time.

Her eyes moved rapidly under her eyelids, signifying that she was dreaming. Her eyes continued squirming around, unfazed by my words. Exhaling, I started to get up, but stopped as a soft muttering sounded from her lips. I turned to her, listening to the quiet murmurings that escaped her mouth. They were contented and laced with sighs, forcing my own mood to calm.

Not wanting to disturb her further, I left the scene as it was; Sakura slept soundly in a mass of crumpled sheets and blankets strewn about. I slinked back to what had become my special spot in front of the window, staring into the black-veiled room. As I leaned against the window sill, my eyes grazed over now-familiar sketches of the room. There was the bed, the dresser, the desk...

Wait, was that an object that I hadn't seen before?

Eagerly, I swept over to where the object stood on the desk, pushed flush against the wall. Now that I was looking, there were three of them that I had somehow missed. Each was a photograph of familiar images. I mused over the faces staring back at me from the panes of the picture frames.

One was the team seven picture with Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and me standing in a group. Naruto glared at me in his usual way as I just stood there, wanting to get the photo done with; Sakura smiled at our antics and Kakashi's eye crinkled in enjoyment as well. We looked like such different individuals, yet we still were able to become a strong team for the short period of time when we _were_ a team. To the right of that frame was another encasing a newer team seven, one that omitted Kakashi and me and replaced us with a tall, brunette man and a pale, dark-eyed boy who slightly resembled myself. If my memory served me right, they were the ones who broke into Orochimaru's place to take me back to Konoha.

In between the two pictures, there was one last frame just peeking out from behind the others, only showing the kunoichi grinning widely. Her eyes were squinted from the extremity of her happiness as her arms clenched to the black sleeve of a man. Narrowing my eyes slightly, I pivoted away. I looked back to the sober girl on the bed and then to the cheery cherry in the image. Out of curiosity, I reached out to pull the picture frame out to reveal who the man was. Pausing, I wondered if I should've really been snooping through her things or if I should've stopped indulging in my crazy fantasies and go into comatose.

I decided to do the former. So, I continued to reach for the frame, only to find that my grasp went right through it. Of course it did.

Continuing to try, I couldn't find a way to pull the frame out, not even enough to give another hint to who the mysterious person was. Thinking, I tried to configure a solution that would work. As I mulled it over, I brushed my hand through the pictures another time. An idea hit me. I leaned my head forward until it was centimeters away from the glass of the frame of the original team seven. Slowly, I passed my head through the picture frame, eventually getting my eyes through the back of it. I then had the hidden photo in my vision. My eyes screwed upwards to scrutinize the figure in all black. Once identified, I stood erect and walked away.

So, at some point she was with Sai.

Thoughts raced through my head as I wondered when it could've happened or even how. I furrowed my brows as I mused. A small light bothered the edge of my vision, but I tried to ignore it.

Then I realized it. Light? I turned to the sleeping girl whose hair was gleaming, calling my attention to the pink locks. Bewildered, I raced to the window to find the sun rising over the village. For the first time in a long time, I looked out over the village. The red of the sun touched the sides of all the buildings, reflecting the brilliant color back to me. Scrambling through my memory, I compared the old village to the new, rebuilt Konoha. A few landmarks were kept the same, but most of the buildings couldn't have been more than a decade old.

Shouting in the distance grabbed my attention. A man in red face paint ran through the streets, calling after him. Tailing behind was a giant, furry monster that resembled a dog. They ran off into the distance as a blonde woman exited her shop, putting up the "open" sign. By the looks of the outside, I would assume it was a flower shop. Slowly, the village was starting to wake up and so would Sakura.

Above the surrounding buildings, I was able to spot a few faces on the Hokage Monument. There was a bit of the familiar Third Hokage in sight, but I also spotted Tsunade, whom I had never met. The next two stone faces were familiar, yet I had never seen them on a mountainside. The sixth face was practically without details, for it had a mask of rock covering everything below the eyes. His hair spiked to the side, pointing to the last head. The last head shone bright in the morning sun, looking over the village that he so desperately loved.

Naruto became hokage after all...

Although multiple invasions and attacks had torn apart the village and killed many, everyone had worked together to rebuild it even better than what they had remembered it to be. They even replicated the mountainside with all of the hokages' faces on it. The village had a will of fire that could never be destroyed.

xXx

"Sasuke-kun," a groggy voice drawled. Pulling my gaze away from the window, I noticed that the pink-haired girl had woken up and began sitting up. Why hadn't I been aware that she was waking before? She rubbed the eye-gunk out of the corner of her eyes and let out a small yawn. "What are you doing up?"

Her hair was in a mess, almost looking like a troll's. My eyes searched her dazed green orbs as I felt a small chuckle erupt from my chest, choking me. "It's morning. I'm not going to stay in bed all day like _some_ people," I sneered.

It took a moment, but her tired mind registered what I said. "Hey! I... um... I don't sleep past... What time is it?" Before I could answer her question, she stood up from her bed, stumbling slightly. She clumsily snatched clothes out of her dresser and threw them on her bed, completely forgetting about her question.

Only because she seemed so entertaining in the morning, I decided to ask the dreaded question. "So, what am I going to do for you today?"

"We're... We're gonna go see your family," she giggled. I froze as she continued to mutter sleepily. "I'll be like, 'Hey baa-san. Hey kaa-san. How you doin'?' and they'll be like, 'Oh pretty snazzy Saku-chan,' and..."

"Wait! You said that we're going to visit my family?" I screeched.

She stared at me blankly. "Yeah, what of it? It all came to me in this dream..."

I huffed out of the room, reaching for the handle, but ending up just passing through the door. I didn't care about her goddamn dream; I would never go back to _that_ place. Defiantly, I raced as far away from the half-awake Sakura as I could. If I go to hell, so be it.

xXx

Leisurely, I sat on a high tree branch, leaning casually on the body of the tree. I could see the whole village from this spot in the shade and safety of this tree. Even the Hokage's office and the mountain fit in my vision. '_I wonder who the next Hokage's going to be,_' I thought silently to myself. It probably wouldn't have mattered if I shouted it; I was fairly certain that only Sakura could hear my voice. Deciding to experiment, I uncharacteristically shouted over the village, "I'm going to be the next Hokage, dattebayo!" As those words left my lips, I started snickering uncontrollably. Now I knew why Naruto was always adamant in his dream in becoming Hokage: so he could be a loud-mouthed idiot. The hustle of the village wasn't disturbed by my outburst, confirming my theory.

It felt good to, for the first time in my life, shout for the hell of it. In contentment, I looked up at the clouds. They moved blissfully across the blue canvas, not having to worry about stupid girls sticking their noses into other people's business.

That one looked like a ninja dog.

One cloud was long and thin, one end of it looking almost like a spiked head. Little puffs of vapor gave it a strange texture. That one was obviously a snake.

Another cloud crept along, eerily resembling a face; It had two gaping holes in it, similar to two light eyes, bumps for a nose and mouth, and what looked like a mass of hair, strangely reflecting a little red hue. The woman's face seemed to smile at me, making my scowl grow. I squeezed my eyes shut, only to hear her whispering, "Sasuke-kun, take me to your family." Clasping my hands over my ears, I tried to think happy thoughts, but all that was reverberating in my head was the echo of her words. "Sasu... take... to... family..."

Sprawled on the tree limb, fighting insanity, I opened my eyes to look at the cloud one more time. Thankfully, it had drifted off and all that was left was an open sky.

I was losing it. Maybe I should've hurried up and went to hell. I wasn't sure how much worse it could be than what I was experiencing right now.

'_Maybe I should just show Sakura around the Uchiha compound. It couldn't hurt, right?_'

I shook my head furiously. '_No! That place is sacred to me! There's too many muddled emotions to go back. Now that I know the truth, I can't look at that place the same way ever again!_'

"Sasuke-kun!"

Oh god! The voice was back! I started to shield my ears, but realized this wasn't just in my head. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called from below.

Lightly, I scoffed. She was searching for me in vain. '_I've run away from Konoha and she wasn't able to find me. She couldn't find me then and she can't find me now,_' I jokingly thought.

Ouch. That was a little harsh, even for me.

She had gone through such turmoil because of me, it wasn't right for me to do anything that would upset her. Feeling slightly bad about such dark thoughts, I decided to join Sakura and get this whole thing over with. "Come on Sasuke-kun! I've always wanted to know more about where you came from, but you never let me in! Please, allow me to touch your heart!" she screamed in a random direction.

Without a sound, I jumped down behind her. Then, I drew in a breath and...

"Boo!" I squeaked. She whipped around to face me. Her eyes grew dangerously angry and her fists clenched, cracking a few knuckles in the process. "Here," I motioned to her, "I'll give you the Uchiha tour." With that, she pouted and reluctantly followed me.

We headed out, towards a place that, until recently, had been a home that had swelled my heart with pride.

xXx

"So there was the bakery," I pointed to a vacant space, "and there was my Auntie's home," my finger stabbed in the direction of another empty lot. I didn't know what Sakura was getting out of this, other than me looking like an idiot, pointing to nothing but rubble. What did she expect after countless wars? The Uchiha compound wasn't going to remain standing. We made our way a little further down the path. "That's where my house stood."

I paused, staring at the open space, rerunning the first seven years of my life in my head.

"What was your family like?"

Not wanting to answer, I remained silent. After a moment, I spoke. "My kaa-san was kind and always worried about me. My baa-san was cold. He hardly ever acknowledged me until I proved my ninja talent by performing the katon goukakyuu no jutsu. I just strived to surpass my onee-san and gain my baa-san's acceptance. And my onee-san..." No words escaped my mouth as I left my sentence to just hang in the air.

Sakura nodded, understanding that I didn't want to continue. "I heard what Itachi did for Konoha. He's a hero." I looked down at my ghostly feet. "But why the Uchiha?"

"Because they're traitors!" She jumped back at my livid tone. Waiting for me to continue, she stood next to me silently. Heat burned in my throat, making me want to gag. The Uchiha weren't even worth mentioning. "When were you dating Sai?"

Startled, Sakura turned red. "How do you know about that?" she snapped.

Starting to relax from teasing her, I shrugged. "You're just that easy to read. Now you tell me about you two and I'll tell you about the Uchiha." At least I would get a good crack out of anything she was going to say.

She bowed her head, reminiscing. "It was about five years ago. We just decided that it was about time for the two of us to get together." She smiled, yet with a touch of sadness. "A few months later, he died while on a mission." Her eyes shook in pure agony.

Trying to come up with comforting words, I was drawing a blank. "Did he touch you?" Mentally, I strangled myself, but it _was _a question I was dying to know the answer to.

A blush traced every portion of her skin. "No!" She looked me directly in the eye and spoke clearly, "Just the fact that he was _there_ was enough."

She was pushing more blame on me? Fine. It wasn't like she was mine to protect anyway. We stood in awkward silence for a while, before I decided to disrupt the tense atmosphere. "The Uchiha was planning a coup d'état against Konoha, in an attempt to regain the glory of the clan."

"Then... why did you betray Konoha when it was your onee-san's will to keep the village alive, even at the expense of his own comrades?"

"That's because I don't live by Itachi's rules," I growled. "I am... er... was an avenger of my clan. Konoha betrayed my clan, so I betrayed Konoha." Clarifying, I continued, "I don't agree with the methods they were going to use, but I became so obsessed with revenge that it was impossible for me to turn back."

Her pink head bobbed in understanding. "Well, that's all behind you now, right?

I nodded. I had already died trying to avenge my clan and nothing more could be done about trying to accomplish my living goal. "Good," she chirped. "That means we can continue on in trying to get you to Heaven, now that you trust me."

Glaring, I realized that this wasn't mostly a wish of an innocent, immature girl; she had wanted to reform the bond between us as comrades. Had she really planned this all along?

The rain plopped onto the ground, soaking the cracked pavement. I looked up at the sky, watching as the raindrops fell from the threatening clouds down to the earth. As Sakura's words seeped in, I swore that a few drops fell on my face and rolled down my cheeks, because spirits can't cry. The droplets seemed so tangible yet unattainable. I would've given anything to feel the moist air that carried them.

"Sasuke-kun?" my comrade carefully questioned.

No, not my comrade, my _friend_.

**A/N: AH! Finally it's done! Sorry it took so long, but I was busy and this was a tough one... but it only gets harder from here on out. These are getting longer and longer, but hopefully they don't get too ridiculous. Thank you everyone for reviews and you guys are the greatest!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Gates of Hell**

**Last time:**

_Glaring, I realized that this wasn't mostly a wish of an innocent, immature girl; she had wanted to reform the bond between us as comrades. Had she really planned this all along?_

_The rain plopped onto the ground, soaking the cracked pavement. I looked up at the sky, watching as the raindrops fell from the threatening clouds down to the earth. As Sakura's words seeped in, I swore that a few drops fell on my face and rolled down my cheeks, because spirits can't cry. The droplets seemed so tangible yet unattainable. I would've given anything to feel the moist air that carried them._

"_Sasuke-kun?" my comrade carefully questioned._

_No, not my comrade, my _friend_._

**Chapter 4: Creatures of the Night Rise Up**

"Sasuke-kun, you do understand why I put you through this, right?"

Solemnly, I nodded. "Hai Sakura... chan." I wasn't going to make it a habit, but adding that little courtesy at the end of her name relayed my understanding to her. We could trust each other as friends now. She no longer had to put me through tests of talking to Naruto or telling her stories of my clan; she could finally get serious about giving me assignments. Daringly, I asked, "Since we still have some time left in the day, what more do you want from me?"

A grin played on her face. "Don't think it's going to be all about you, Sasuke-_kun_! From here on out, I'm going to be selfish and we're going to be doing things on _my _whim." Humoring her, I nodded. Good. Her focus would no longer be on me. Instead, I would be her little butler from the underworld running her errands and doing all the behind-the-scene work. I wiped my face quickly with my arm, getting rid of the lingering feeling of impossible rain on my cheeks.

"Fantastic," she sighed with a slight sarcastic tone. "Well, what I need you to do, since you're the best at it is," she paused, blushing faintly, scratching her head uncomfortably, "help me take revenge."

I smile crept on my lips and I couldn't help but be a little smug. "If my memory serves me right, I do believe that both you and Naruto repeatedly told me that vengeance only leads to misery."

"Shut up!" she pouted.

"So why _ever_ do you want to be hypocritical, Saku?" I teased.

Growling, she stared me down. "You aren't supposed to ask questions, just follow orders. If I want revenge, I get it." Her pink hair flipped away from me, sprinkling little droplets of water my way. I fought back a chuckle as the girl remained silent for a moment. "We need to find her first, then we'll decide what to do."

"Who?"

An audible gulp was heard before a hoarse whisper. "Ami."

xXx

"Who's Ami?"

"You don't remember?" Sakura screeched at me, whipping her hair around to dry it, all while getting her furniture wet. "She was this girl who liked you..."

"Oh that narrows it down," I interrupted.

She snarled, "Shut up." Wringing her hair out, she reached for a towel and began to wipe the small, glowing raindrops off her skin. "She was always mean to me and picked on me. She was the one who gave me the nickname 'Forehead' and she bullied me the worst."

Sympathetically, I motioned as if I were patting her shoulder, seemingly filling the role of caring boyfriend, when in actuality I was the unfeeling apparition. "And that's enough to make you angry after all these years?"

"One day while I was taking a shower after rigorous taijutsu training, she beat me up and told her friends to steal my clothes." Her eyes glowered darkly. "I spent the rest of the day in the showers, crying, waiting for someone to come and save me." Laughing bitterly and with a touch of madness, she carried on, "But, I'm not that weak anymore." As she said that, the muscles in her arms tensed slightly, rippling underneath her skin.

"Are you going to punch her?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, she sighed, "I don't know... But, I have time to think about it as you are out looking for her."

I looked at her confusingly, only to realize that that was my cue to leave and find this Ami girl. Slipping out of the room, I mulled over the possibilities of where my first clue to where she was could've been.

xXx

Girls like ramen, right? I sat in the corner of Ichiraku, watching each customer walk in and then out, more satisfied than he or she had been before entering. I listened closely to each name that was called, but no "Ami" was spoken.

"Oy old man, give me today's special."

"Right away, Shikamaru."

The man sat at the counter, sighing heavily as he plumped himself down onto a stool. He scratched at his ponytail, closing his eyes in concentration. The old man running the store worked diligently, pouring clumps of noodles into the boiling pots. He asked something that couldn't be distinguished over the sound of water churning. "Yeah," Shikamaru answered. "We just came back from a mission. But, we had to finish up early because Ino was complaining about her flower shop."

Flowers! Of course! I started to thank Shikamaru for the tip, but quickly realized that it would be useless. I courtly bowed and ran through the crowds of people toward the flower shop. It didn't even phase people as I passed through them, sprinting in the most direct path there.

A tall, dark-haired man exited Ino's store, calling over his shoulder, "Arigato. I'm sure my wife will love the lilies."

"Fantastic!" The over-enthusiastic store manager called out. "And tell Ami I say, 'hi!'"

Ami? When the man left, I entered the door. The blonde girl clad in purple filled out a form in a small, black booklet. I stood uncomfortably close to her, leaning over her shoulder to glance at her writing. She wrote a man's name, which I assumed was Ami's husband who just left. Next to it, she scribbled the delivery address. Satisfied, I smiled. This mission was much easier than I thought it would be.

Steadily walking out of the store, I made my way back to my pink-haired, hot-tempered mistress.

xXx

Together, Sakura and I walked down the streets of Konoha, to where I directed her earlier. "You didn't answer my question," I hissed. "Are you planning on punching her?"

To not draw attention from the public to herself, she indiscreetly nodded.

"You know that if you seriously punch her, she will be killed, right?"

Again, she nodded.

Shaking my head, I murmured, "I don't see how this is any different from when I avenged my clan." I didn't get any response to my statement, for we started to approach the household. It was not quite a house, but more of a shed. Its run-down wooden body was aged and looked unstable. Whoever inhabited this place didn't have a lot of money.

Dull yelling could be heard through the door, sounding deep and rumbling. The audible sound of glass shattering rattled the frame of the house. A woman's scream echoed through the streets, not turning any heads. Domestic violence was obviously standard on this edge of town. More sounds of beating and violence reached Sakura and my ears. Nevertheless, Sakura still had the nerve to knock on the door.

If this was Ami's house and she had to deal with this hardship every day, Sakura was indeed a ruthless shrew. Even I, the heartless teme, wouldn't have bothered harming someone who life didn't go easy on. Ami had her own problems to deal with and didn't need extra aggravation. If Sakura went through with this, I wouldn't be sure I liked her anymore.

Not that I ever liked her or anything...

Soft sobbing approached the other side of the door and the knob turned, allowing the door to slowly creak open.

A woman about our age emerged. Her face seemed old from overbearing stress; hard wrinkles outlined her mouth and the corners of her eyes. Lilac hair was uneven and frizzy; strands of grey littered her head. Her eyes, completely exhausted, gazed vacantly at the woman next to me. "Sa... ku... ra?"

Bandages covered most of her body. What they didn't cover was newly bruised skin, little shadows starting to appear on her flesh. I peered past her, not catching sight of her husband. I couldn't help but notice the lilies strewn about the floor along with pieces of a glass vase floating on a small puddle of water.

That wouldn't be good for the wooden floors.

"Ami," Sakura spoke clearly, "you were always mean to me and I've found you to tell you something." Her fist clenched, tightening the skin above her knuckles. As she started to move forward, I yelled her name in surprise.

Sakura reached out and hugged Ami in a light, yet unbreakable, embrace.

"I've come to say... I forgive you."

Ami returned the hug, crying into Sakura's shoulder. She didn't say anything, just continued to sob.

xXx

"And... and... did you know that I didn't ever become a ninja? I worked for years in the academy but wasn't even eligible to become a genin!" Ami blathered on. Sakura sat next to her, patting her back in a comforting manner. I, on the other hand, was sick of listening to this girl's sob story for two hours straight. Every time she began a new story on how her life sucked - "And I married my husband because I thought he was rich..." - I heaved a sigh. I couldn't stand this anymore. Walking away in a huff, I walked away.

Sakura's green eyes glared at my back. Without turning back, I called, "I'll be at the house. See you." Although I felt her anger radiating off her in waves, I continued on my way, jogging leisurely to the house.

I refused to be troubled by another stupid girl. I did all I needed to do; Sakura could do the rest.

As I ran to my current residence, the clouds rolled in, covering the Earth in darkness. Gloom surrounded me, encircling all objects with a black cloak. The clouds let out a dark rumble, menacingly floating above me. A sharp flash from one of them blinded me for a second, stretching across my vision.

I blinked a few times, trying to get the spots out of my eyes. As my vision returned, a man approached me. I didn't slow my pace for I would pass right through him...

My head hit hard against his chest.

Grasping my head, I groaned in pain. This was the first time I felt pain since my death. With annoyed eyes, I glowered at the man, only to freeze in my spot. He smiled down at me as I shook, frightened eyes taking in an image I hadn't seen for many years.

"Sasuke, we haven't seen each other in so long and you won't even say, 'hello?'" he joked.

I was too stunned to say a word. I saw with my own two eyes that he died. Yet, there he was, standing before me.

"Baa-san..."

**A/N: Oo Now's when things get a little different. You thought I was going to just have Sasu-chan run around granting wishes like a little fairy? WRONG! Please review! Love me, hate me, say what you want about me... Oh no Britney Spears! And thank you to all my commenters. You all will be famous, with four exceptions. (No I'm just loopy from writing this all in one sitting.) Bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Gates of Hell**

**Last time:**

_Grasping my head, I groaned in pain. This was the first time I felt pain since my death. With annoyed eyes, I glowered at the man, only to freeze in my spot. He smiled down at me as I shook, frightened eyes taking in an image I hadn't seen for many years._

"_Sasuke, we haven't seen each other in so long and you won't even say, 'hello?'" he joked._

_I was too stunned to say a word. I saw with my own two eyes that he died. Yet, there he was, standing before me._

"_Baa-san..."_

**Chapter 5: Life and Death, Faint and Strong**

Fugaku Uchiha smiled back at me, lips forming a hard line. His eyes softened like I had never seen as a child. "My how you have grown... If only your mother were here to see you..." his voice trailed off, letting my mind wrap itself around the gravity of the situation.

I couldn't take my eyes off of him; his figure entranced me with my haunting past. A questioning look from him shook me back to my senses. "How..." Not being able to look at him, I stared at my feet. "How are you here?" It sounded dumb, but no words came to mind. I felt like the little seven-year-old I was when I last saw him.

"Basically the same way you did," he noted. "Although I had already passed on to another realm, I was summoned to fulfill a mission."

Remembering back to my own summoning, I almost asked whose soul was used to bring him to Earth, but didn't. It was probably different for him; no one in Heaven would have the heart to sacrifice someone to bring another to Earth. Angels could most likely come and go as they pleased.

My mind wandered onto another tangent. If I finished my mission and went to Heaven, could I still come back to Earth at my leisure? Maybe I wouldn't even want to leave Heaven, for my whole clan was probably there waiting for me. Still bowing my head, I whispered, "Could I be an angel like you too?"

A slight chuckle sounded from his throat. I felt his arm on my shoulder, making my face look up at him on its own accord. "That's actually part of my mission, Sasuke." In reaction to my puzzled face, he elaborated, "I am supposed to bring you home with me, so the outcome of your mission determines the success or failure of my own."

"So, you're going to help me?"

Baa-san whipped his head to the side, as if he heard something. His eyes narrowed into the distance and his hand fell from its position on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I have to leave. But, we'll meet each other again soon, I promise." He looked into my identical eyes one last time before turning and running away.

"Bye... baa-san..."

xXx

I sat in the same place for a while. I had been standing here and he had been only a mere few feet away. My mind was boggled with the idea that my baa-san had actually been in front of me. He wasn't just a figment of my imagination; he was really standing next to me. He actually talked to me. He actually _smiled_ at me.

The moonlight cascaded over me, giving everything around me a faint glow. Looking at my hands, I confirmed that my normal ghastly glow hadn't been altered by the moon. I still wasn't an object for light to shine on. '_I wonder if when I'm an angel I can be surrounded by light that will reflect off me..._'

My head snapped upwards at a realization. Moon? Oh shit, I was late! I told Sakura I would be home, yet I haven't been there since. Would she worry? Would she be angry?

Shaking my head anxiously, I knew that she would be angry.

Quickly springing to my feet, I took off to make sure the fiery cherry blossom would be at ease. Hopefully this time I took off for home, I wouldn't run into any unexpected apparitions.

My legs carried me to the door of Sakura's bedroom. How late was it? Could she already be in bed? I was about to pass through the door, when I saw a note taped to the door. I squinted to read it in the dark hall.

'_You're late._'

As expected, she was angry. I could tell not only by the curt statement made on the sheet, but by the furious, scribbled manner it was written. Awaiting my doom, I entered the room.

Sakura was already in bed, facing the door as if she fell asleep waiting for me to enter. Even in her sleep, she looked pissed. Her eyebrows furrowed over her closed eyes that moved rapidly underneath her eyelids. In an iron grip, she clenched the blankets in a bundle. Carefully, I walked over to her, praying not to wake her.

She didn't stir as I sat next to her and eventually laid by her side. "I'm sorry," I breathed.

When those words left my lips, she sleepily flopped away from me, mumbling gibberish. She didn't seem to want me by her side. Obliging, I sat up in her bed, placing one foot out and onto the carpeted floor. Sighing, I began to get up, but stopped as the girl beside me turned back toward me, her hand collapsing onto my own. "Sasuke-kun," she grumbled.

A small smile slipped onto my lips. She wanted me by her side.

I laid next to her again, putting my arm on the small of her back, holding it there so maybe, just maybe, it could be as if I were really holding her. A coo escaped her lips and traveled directly into my ear.

If it was what she wanted too, I would lay there all night, holding my arm in midair.

xXx

For a while, I thought she was dead. She hadn't moved since I put my arm around her and her eyes didn't move under her lids. The only proof I had that she was still alive was her chest moving up and down. Her peaceful composure soothed my soul and pacified my worries; just being near her calmed me tremendously.

As I was lost in my thoughts, her breathing quickened. Her eyes fluttered open and I stared into the empty green orbs. A vacant doll stared blankly into my eyes, not computing who I was or why I was there. She blinked another time and reality hit her. Her eyes glowed in their familiar way and her lenses began to focus.

"Sasuke-kun..." she groggily croaked. Clearing her throat, she sat up, turning away from me for a second. She didn't do it quickly enough because I saw the faint red tinting her cheeks.

"I'm ready for my next assignment, master," I spoke in a teasing tone.

She completely dismissed my tone, thinking aloud, "I need to wake up so I don't assign something stup-a-dupid again..."

I chuckled. I faintly wondered if she was completely out of it all mornings, but I realized I shouldn't be here long enough to find out.

I _should_ be moving on.

xXx

We raced to the Hokage's building. According to Sakura, the next Hokage hadn't been decided yet. Who was that brat who wanted to be Hokage just like Naruto? My bet was that it would be him.

"Do you remember the plan?" Sakura inquired.

I still couldn't believe we were breaking into the Hokages' secret documents. "Yeah, yeah. We break in, get the scroll, and get out. What does it look like again?"

"A scroll." I glared at her pink hair. It was taunting me, trying to make me look stupid. It was doing a good job. She giggled and waved her arms, gesturing for me to forget what she just said. "Tsunade told me she was going to give it to me someday, but she died before she had the chance to," she expounded. "It had all of her medical jutsus represented and even some of her own experimental research documented, such as the mark she bore on her forehead."

Such a scroll would be invaluable to a medical ninja like Sakura. It was a wonder why Tsunade wanted to give it to the kunoichi. My eyes ran over Sakura's small frame. How strong had she become?

"All right, Sasuke-kun. You know what to do." I nodded and dismissed myself, passing through the walls of the structure. On the other side, guards patrolled the floor, not noticing me floating amongst them. I made my way to a room on the far corridor, hoping it was the right one. This one was filled with books and cobwebs, probably because Naruto never would've used it in his time as Hokage.

Exiting the room, I chose another, finding it to be filled with supplies such as paper, kunai, and brushes. Another, as I found out, had nothing but dust in it. I kept randomly choosing rooms, looking for one filled with scrolls.

Finally, I came across one that had its walls lined with shelves with scrolls stuffed in each, filling the room to the brim. In awe, I gaped at the sheer number of strips of parchment in the cramped space. It would take forever to look through all of these to find one scroll out of a few hundred... or maybe it was a few thousand.

That wasn't my problem; I found where the scroll was and that was all that was expected of me. There was a small window pouring sunlight into the room, illuminating the dusty floorboards. I jumped through the glass, emerging on the outside of the building. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called to me from a ways away. "Did you find it?"

My nod sent her rushing to where I stood. She gently urged the window to open, successfully jumping into the room when it did. By the time I entered the room with her, she was already rummaging through the shelves. I snickered at how eager she was to find this scroll.

"Forehead, is this what you are looking for?" Simultaneously, Sakura and I whipped our heads to the source of the voice.

"Ino-buta!" Sakura gaped in surprise. Her prized scroll was being held between two manicured fingers, both nails had a light lilac hue. "You know Tsunade meant for that scroll to be mine."

An ominous smirk formed on the blonde's lips. She flipped her bangs out of her face, pouting, "Now what's the fun in that? I'm never going to let you get ahead of me, Forehead. Not _ever_." Her clear blue eyes locked on Sakura, with an intent to kill.

I looked between the two, unable to intervene. Helplessly, I sighed and started placing my bets on who was going to attack first.

The pink kunoichi charged, pumping her fist full of chakra, swinging at her friend with all of her force. Ino seemingly avoided each hit with ease, but I could clearly see sweat accumulating on her forehead. She took a glass bottle out of her pouch and threw it to the floor, jumping out of the way as the bottle hit the ground, shattered, and leaked a dark gas. Sakura coughed, obviously poisoned, but she took an injection she had already prepared for this occasion. Everyone prepares a counter to his or her best friend's poison, right?

As I watched the fight commence, the clearing smoke revealed a man walking toward the two kunoichi. If we were discovered, Sakura wouldn't get the scroll and my future would be condemned. He continued walking, but passed the kunoichi and headed straight my way.

Thank God it was only baa-san.

"Baa-san!" I called to make sure I had his attention. He looked at me with acknowledging eyes, coming to stand only a few feet from me. "Ino's in the way of Sakura's wish. What can we d-"

I was cut off by his fist coming in contact with the side of my face. I flew across the room, skidding across the floor. Opening my eyes, I saw I was outside, but only half of me. The other half hadn't passed through the wall.

Although my head spun, I got up and went back inside. Confused, I rubbed my cheek. "Baa-san, I thought you were on my side."

Giving a slight chuckle he maliciously laughed, "I never said that." A diabolical smile graced his lips. "I am here to drag you to Hell."

**A/N: Next chapter will be the last! Sorry to break the news, but the journey's almost over. Sasuke's fate will soon be decided and then I may have a little hibernation. I'm thinking about migrating to Canada for a few weeks, but then I'll come back with a vengeance! Please review and send your love!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Gates of Hell**

**Last time:**

"_Baa-san!" I called to make sure I had his attention. He looked at me with acknowledging eyes, coming to stand only a few feet from me. "Ino's in the way of Sakura's wish. What can we d-"_

_I was cut off by his fist coming in contact with the side of my face. I flew across the room, skidding across the floor. Opening my eyes, I saw I was outside, but only half of me. The other half hadn't passed through the wall._

_Although my head spun, I got up and went back inside. Confused, I rubbed my cheek. "Baa-san, I thought you were on my side."_

_Giving a slight chuckle he maliciously laughed, "I never said that." A diabolical smile graced his lips. "I am here to drag you to Hell."_

**Chapter 6: Hobey Ho! To Hell We Go!**

"Drag me... to Hell?" I spoke aloud, unbelievingly. Baa-san stood with a sense of authority, staring me down through aged eyes. No longer was I the Sasuke who murdered thousands and sought for vengeance; I was the seven-year-old who was helpless, yet strove for my baa-san's acceptance. "I don't understand. I thought you were supposed to bring me to Heaven with you," I vocalized.

"Again, I never said that." He closed his eyes in irritation. "I believe I said that I would bring you 'home' with me."

With horrorstricken eyes, I gazed at my baa-san. "Then... you're..."

His sad smile captivated me. "I'm so honored that, in your mind, I'm an angel." He viciously kicked the side of my head, knocking me down onto the ground. "Try telling that to the 'Man Upstairs'. The bastard didn't see how I could choose the clan over the village and, for that, I resent him."

I trembled in pain or it could've been fear of the monster in front of me... or maybe both.

"You're a demon," I spat, earning another wicked smile.

"And you're the little shit in the way of me completing my mission."

Still on the ground, I spat plasma at his feet. Although not what I expected to come out of my mouth, it still got my point across. In a temper, he called curses, while kicking my face to the side, causing it to twist out of shape.

Unmoving, I left my head where it was, staring at the filthy ground. The baa-san I knew would never betray a comrade, let alone his own blood. Gruesomely, I smiled. "I guess since neither of us have blood anymore, we are no longer 'blood'."

"I follow orders. Satan told me to get the recruit. This has nothing to do with my own will." As he said that, his foot landed sickly on my chest, causing me to spew plasma from my mouth.

"Then," I coughed, "you wouldn't be doing this if you had a choice?"

He kept me pinned with his foot on my chest. "No, it's what Mikoto would've wanted; I would still bring you home."

"Kaa-san?" My chest started to ache with more pain than what my baa-san's foot provided. "What do you mean she '_would've_' wanted?"

Apathetically, he shook his head. "It wouldn't make sense if _you_ had to provide a sacrifice to be on Earth and I _didn't_. Even if you move on to the next life, the same rules still apply."

Why did he bring up the otherworldly rules when I mentioned kaa-san? Wait, he couldn't have... "You used her as a sacrifice?" I choked out.

"That's my boy!" baa-san bitterly mocked. His foot dug deeper in my chest, fishing more plasma out of my body. I wasn't sure if that was a bad thing. "Her soul is what's binding me this Earth. Oh come now! Don't look at me with that disgusted look! You did the same with your friend's soul."

With a newly found rage, I punched his kneecap, giving me the opportunity to get out from underneath his momentarily weak leg. "Keep Naruto out of this!" I barked.

I crouched several meters away, ready to attack him at any time. He, too, assumed battle position. Distraught, I presumed, "So, this whole time you've been watching me, waiting for a chance to sabotage me."

"No, I just got here the other day." My mind flashed back to when I saw baa-san in front of me for the first time in years. Just one day later, we were standing here, opposed. He lunged forward, lashing out. My hands caught his fists, struggling to push him back. "Just after finding you, I found that Ino girl, figuring she would be my best chance at finding Sakura and, therefore, defeating you." I kneed him in the stomach, doubling him over.

"Why didn't you just fight me when you saw me yesterday? Did you just want to _toy_ with me?" My foot flew toward his head, which he caught and he held my ankle.

Lifting my leg with all his strength, he whipped me through the air and sent me flying through several bookshelves. "I didn't want to take the most direct approach unless absolutely necessary. You didn't fail on your own, as I had hoped. I knew you were nearly completed with your mission, so I used this girl." He pointed distastefully toward Ino.

Picking myself off the floor, I raced back to my baa-san, avoiding a hit aimed at my face, landing one of my own on his chin. As I felt his jaw move beneath my fist, I panted, "There's no way she'd listen to you. Even Ino isn't that stupid."

My ears perked up at the sound of Sakura laughing in the distance. It came out as small chokes as Ino held her throat in an iron-tight grip. "What's so funny, Forehead?" Ino demanded.

Sakura grinned, flustering Ino further. "You really are stupid."

Even in a bleak situation, she could still put a smile on my face. My baa-san's foot planted itself firmly into my face, most likely deforming it. "You don't have the time to be looking away," he reminded me.

I took the opportunity to use a jutsu, forming the seals swiftly and shouting, "Chidori!" My hand lunged toward him, but no lightning shot from it. He caught my wrist and snapped it backwards, sending waves of pain rippling through my body.

"The basics of chakra are body and spirit. Without both, you can't use chakra. Since we're all spirit and no body..."

Cutting him off, I swept his legs out from underneath him. "But, what were you saying about Ino?" I questioned, sort of curious to what the answer was.

He did a backflip to distance himself from me, needing to catch his breath. "You know how people say that a little angel sits on one shoulder and a little devil sits on the other, advising the person? Well, I was the little devil, possessing her mind, temporarily convincing her that Sakura was a nuisance that needed to be overcome. The blonde never saw me, never heard me, but that's the power of one who's passed on to the other side." Sneering, he added, "You don't have the same ability."

"I don't need to go as low as to prey off an innocent person to achieve my goals."

Once again, he sprinted toward me. As we exchanged blows, he spoke, "After I persuaded her to surpass Sakura, she knew just how: by stealing the scroll that was to be endowed to Sakura. Out of shear coincidence you two were here for the same thing." We broke apart and simultaneously looked at the two kunoichis fighting. "As I analyzed the fight, I realized that there was a chance Sakura would win, so my hands were tied and now I have to use force to directly defeat you."

Quizzically, I scrutinized my baa-san. "How are you planning on forcing me to Hell? It's not like you can kill me!" Been there, done that. Feeling high and mighty, I smirked.

"Sure I can," he calmly countered. "The soul you used to attach yourself to Earth is what gives you your form. If I destroy the 'body' you're in, that soul will be obliterated and nothing will be keeping you tied to this Earth."

Making his point, he reached out for my hand. A smirk crept on his face and he tore my hand off at the wrist. The ripping sound echoed through my ears and I felt plasma leaking from the wound. The painful sensation ran up my arms and caught in my throat, making it hard to speak. "Baa-san..."

The pain was excruciating as I clutched my wrist. This was the second time I lost this damn hand!

"Once I finish ripping you to shreds, you will go back to purgatory and be deemed fit for Hell." He snatched my elbow and tore a chunk of my arm out. Collapsing on the floor, I stared up at his looming figure.

Plasma seeped from my wounds, floating up into the air and dispersing. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt such searing pain. In a way, it was almost comforting. This whole time of my ghostly experience, I had not once felt anything tangible. As I felt my translucent skin tearing apart, a surge of energy pumped through me stiff arteries. My ears rang with a high-pitched note, an F sharp to be exact, a stinging reminder that gave me a sense of life. To this point, I might have felt traces of touch, but it was most likely in my mind. The burning in my arm reminded me of senses that I had missed so. Although sounding masochistic, I wished for my baa-san to continue ripping me to shreds, forging a simulation of what life must have felt like.

My baa-san sensed my fighting urge recede and my gloomy acceptance sink in. No longer did he feel the same sense of urgency of tearing me apart; he slowly reached down and clawed at my stomach.

The agony was immeasurable, yet I didn't make a single sound. The more plasma leaked from my form, the more relaxed I felt. Maybe I could finally reach a state of sleep that I had so desperately craved. Those sleepless nights as a phantom grew tiresome and I even felt insanity creep in as I recounted the stars endlessly. This was the rest that I was looking forward to.

I closed my eyes, easing into the deep darkness that enveloped me.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Who was that? The feminine voice sounded strangely familiar, yet I couldn't place where I had heard it before. A warmth shed from my stomach, comforting my stressed body. The voice continued echoing through my ears, diverting my focus from the pleasurable heat. Opening my eyes, I saw nothing but pink stretch across my vision as my eyes adjusted to the light streaming in from the window.

Pink?

Sakura.

Then, I remembered. Life wasn't just the experience of kunai cutting through flesh or shuriken skewering skin; life was the soft touch of someone's hand or the thumping of a heartbeat in the ears. Life wasn't just pain, but pleasure as well. I realized I couldn't die here. If I disappeared now, every good touch and feeling I had experienced during my life would've gone up in the Flames. Before I left Earth, I had to hold onto my precious feelings and complete my duties to Sakura.

The thought of the fiery kunoichi sent a different flame to my chest, one that I wanted to embrace. Yes, I wanted to hold onto this feeling for eternity.

Determined not to let my baa-san defeat me, I tore his calf off in one swift motion. Stunned, he hobbled, struggling to retain his balance. He swung his defective leg at me, missing as I rolled away and sprung back to my feet. Wobbling, he kept in pursuit of me.

With my speed, I was able to fly behind him in a split second. He barely had time to turn his head before I grasped both of his arms with my one hand and pulled them back, keeping my foot on his upper back to make ripping them off easier. His muscles strained against my force, but I was persistent. A sick tear came from his left shoulder, then his right. My old man collapsed headfirst to the floor, panting, plasma spurting out of him.

My kaa-san flashed through my memory as I locked my eyes on my baa-san's ragged form. He used her to get to me and, although she was a demon of Hell too, I couldn't forgive him for that. "So, you said that the soul we use gives us the form that appears on Earth, right?" My baa-san looked up at me, wincing at the pain it caused him. "I believe there's an old saying... 'Step on a crack, break your kaa-san's back'..." I trailed off, enjoying the surprise I felt radiate off of him.

"You wouldn't!" My pleased expression didn't falter. "Sasuke!"

'_Sorry, baa-san._' Keeping together my act as a sadistic bastard, I slowly glided toward him, making sure to pointedly step on each crack in the floor on the way. Soon enough, I stood directly in front of him, towering over him menacingly.

Having no way to defend himself, he looked at me directly in the eyes, speaking softly. "That's my boy..." I frowned and leaned over him, grabbing his mid-back with my hand. He groaned in pain as my fingers dug into his spine. Slowly, I ripped his spine out, letting the tear travel up to his neck, where it split off the whole head, instantly killing my baa-san.

"Arigato," I whispered, not wanting to wake him from what seemed like a peaceful comatose. His clear figure shimmered for a moment, before slowly fading away amongst the plasma.

Once there was no trace of my baa-san, I turned to face the two kunoichi. As my baa-san worried, Sakura was winning. Ino looked ragged and worn, throwing punches that held neither precision nor power. It was wearing down to an end. The only regret I had was I wasn't there to witness most of it.

Panting hard, Sakura pumped the remainder of her dwindling chakra into her fist and pummeled it into Ino's stomach. Blood dribbled down her chin, making a mess on the floor. That would be hell to get out.

Ino fell limply to the floor, crashing none too gracefully. She was still breathing, so we didn't have to worry about her. With a sigh of relief, Sakura turned to me, smiling. Her green eyes flashed in the light, sparkling with a hint of mischief. God I would miss that. She wasted no time in walking toward me, obviously with some trouble. A green glow surrounded her ankle as she strode, healing herself.

As she came closer, I smiled warmly. We were both a mess; her clothes were torn and my image was flickering; her skin was scratched and bruised and my body had giant gashes. Pure exhaustion was evident on our faces, but we felt the need to be closer, no matter how deeply we wished to sleep. Our eyes connected and didn't falter from the other's gaze, communicating beyond what mere words could say.

"Sasuke-kun," she sighed.

"Sakura."

"I have my final wish."

Already? Sadness crept onto my features, but I kept my tone even. "Oh?" I questioned with false curiosity. The sooner she told me, the sooner I would have to leave.

Her eyes bore into me as she slid a little closer. "Kiss me."

It wasn't a request; it was an order. A genuine smile formed on my lips. Without questioning whether my phantom form could even perform the simple task, I leaned down and gently placed my lips on hers.

This time I knew I wasn't imagining it; a warmth formed between our lips.

Her lips were soft and offered their comfort after such a long period of turmoil. How had I gone so long without tasting her sweet cherry flavor? Seems the other day I was wrong; she didn't wear strawberry, but _cherry_. I pushed my lips down on hers, enveloping myself in the warmth that wrapped around my entire body.

After a moment, she pulled away, looking at me with joy. "Sasuke-kun," she carefully started, "you're free to go."

"Arigato." I felt lighter and my body shone with a white light. My surroundings grew darker as I was encased in brightness. The final words I wished for Sakura to hear came out in a hushed tone, but I still believe she heard them, due to her widened eyes. "Sakura, I love you."

Everything went black.

xXx

I floated on cloud nine all the way back to the receptionist desk in purgatory. The man behind the desk sneered some sarcastic remark, but I just ignored him. Nothing could bring me down from this high I was feeling... not even him.

With a scowl, he sent me on my way up the winding staircase. I clutched some paperwork he handed me tightly to my chest. I made my way up the stairs, not looking back.

I finished life.

I finished atonement.

Now was the end of my journey.

Old Saint Peter took my papers and broadly grinned. Saying sweet words of welcome, he opened the pearly gates, washing white light over me. Without hesitation, I stepped into the light, blindly making my way through. Not a questioning thought entered my mind as I became surrounded by white. I knew I wasn't alone; a form strode toward me.

We exchanged smiles as I saw his familiar figure. With a sense of respect, I lowered my head. Nothing could be exchanged with the affection I felt for him. He spoke familiar words with the voice I had missed so much.

"Otouto..."

**FIN**

**A/N: Well it's finally over! Please leave comments telling me how you liked it! It was fun, but the journey's over and I'll be back, but with something completely different. I love you all and you're support! Hobey ho!**


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